1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to keyboard and mouse frays. More specifically, it relates to an easy-to-install, universal, articulating keyboard and mouse platform system.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Keyboard platforms, trays, and drawers that are installable on top and on the underside of desks are well-known in the art. Many keyboard and mouse trays that are installed underneath a desk can slide in and out from underneath the horizontal top side of a desk or workstation. This “in” position typically is a storage position where the keyboard and mouse tray is confined underneath the top side of the desk and is not extending significantly past the spatial confines of the desk itself. The “out” position typically is the usage position where the keyboard and mouse tray extend past the spatial confines of the desk for usage by a user or operator. Additionally, more recent keyboard and mouse trays, in the “out” usage position, have the ability to be elevated, lowered, and tilted to accommodate for each user's body structure and to provide the most ergonomically effective configuration.
Examples of conventional keyboard and mouse trays include the 3M® AKT150LE, 3M® AKT101LE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,634, U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,393, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,728, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. These embodiments exemplify the conventional art and their abilities to be installed underneath or within a desk or workstation, such that height of relevant portion of the tray and the mouse pad are configurable to the user's needs.
However, each of these devices are highly difficult to assemble and install onto a desk. Typically, this assembly and installation can take approximately 20-40 minutes or longer and may require more than one individual. An array of screws must be used to affix the top of the elongate slide rail/support structure to the bottom of the horizontal top side of the desk. Typically pilot holes must be drilled into the underside of the desk to facilitate drilling of the screws during installation. Thus, in order to install the device, two individuals may even be required—one to stabilize the support structure to the bottom of the desk and one to insert the screws in each aperture and pilot hole. This is a time-consuming and labor-intensive procedure for installing a keyboard and mouse platform.
An example of a keyboard and mouse tray that attempts to alleviate this intensive burden of assembly and installation can be seen in 3M® AKT65LE, or U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,205, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In this device, rather than affixing the slide rail/support structure to the bottom of the desk using screws, the device utilizes an adhesive (e.g., COMMAND®-brand adhesives) to adhere the top of the slide rail to the underside of the desk. However, several issues can arise with this device, namely that it may not be effective at providing a permanent keyboard and mouse tray/platform. For example, the adhesive may be a temporary solution to providing an easy installation of a keyboard and mouse tray as the adhesive may potentially lose its adhesive properties.
The product (the '205 patent) alleges that the adhesive used therein becomes increasingly effective after initial contact through the first 24 hours. However, over time, as with many conventional adhesives, the adhesive may gradually lose its viscidity, reducing its long-term effectiveness. Thus, even on initial securement of the slide rail/support structure to the desk, the entire device can potentially sag as the adhesive fails to fully and completely secure the two components (slide rail and desk) together. Sagging might elevate the keyboard platform and its planar horizontal stage to an instable and/or oblique level that may not be desired by the user. In a worst case scenario, the apparatus itself may collapse. Thus, the user would not be able to enjoy a fully-customized keyboard and mouse tray and in that case would need to purchase a new adhesive or a new/different keyboard stand after a relatively short period of time. This device incurs a tradeoff between ease of installation (which is improved from the previous devices requiring screws) and stability under the desk (which is worsened from the previous devices requiring screws).
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved keyboard and mouse tray that is easy to assembly and install, while also retaining the ability to be fully stable underneath any desk or workstation, thus providing the user maximum comfort and ergonomic effectiveness. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.
All referenced publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicants in no way disclaim these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.